The Wolf Within
by Art n' Music
Summary: Everyone has secrets. What makes them special is how they affect the future. Mary has kept a secret her whole life, one that can lead her family to chaos. but, after ten years, it's time to forget about secrets. It's time to unleash the wolf within. R
1. The Campout

**Chapter 1: The Campout**

The full moon rises high in the sky, showering the forest with white-blue light and giving the lake a crystallize look. Under the moonlight, a campout sits in a clearing, a blazing fire being the only light in it. A man sits by the inferno, holding a pierced marshmallow over it. Hugh Test has bright blonde hair, blue eyes, and peach skin, and wears a green sweater vest on top of a white shirt, brown jeans, and black loafers.

His five-year-old twin daughters sit at the opposite end of the campfire, chattering with a book on their lap. Both have red hair and wears glasses and lab coats, but Mary Test wears a crescent moon band, keeping her curled hair in a ponytail, teal eyes behind crescent glasses, and wears a yellow shirt, blue baggy jeans with the bottom slightly ripped, and flat sneakers. Susan test has dark blue eyes, square glasses and hair reaching to her shoulders with a star barrette, and wears a blue shirt, black skirt, and white socks and sandals.

As they talk, their father asks, "So girls, how was the camping trip?"

"It was the best!" both scream.

"Ha ha, I'm glad. Did you find all the leaves in your book?"

"I think we did, daddy." Susan says. "These leaves should help us with our tree experiment."

Mary says, "Wait. I think we're missing one. And it looks like it's the important one."

"Awww. I really wanted to finish our experiment." she says, tearing up.

"Hey, don't be sad, Susan. We'll just go find it tomorrow." The twin tries to comfort.

"But we're leaving tomorrow. And this leaf could be anywhere in this forest."

Hugh says, "Here, let me see that book." The girls hand him their book and the father checks the missing leaf page. "Ah, that leaf is easy to find. It's just by that lake down the hill."

"Okay. I'll go get it." Mary grabs a flashlight and starts to walk out of the light, but the dad stops her. "No Mary. It is too dangerous to go out in the dark."

"I'm not scared of anything, dad. I read about things that are in the woods and I know how to fight back with them. I'll be fine, daddy."

He looks toward the menacing woods, then back to his cute daughter. "Oh, alright. If you're that confident. But if you ever get into trouble, just use this." Hugh hands the child a red flare gun, and she looks at it confusingly, handling it gingerly in her hand. "Uh, is this a gun?"

"Don't worry. It's a flare gun. If you get in trouble, you just point it in the air and pull the trigger, and a red light will shoot into the air. I'll come and get you as fast as I can."

"Uh, okay." Mary puts it in her pocket and gives Hugh a kiss. "And don't worry, daddy. I'll be back before you know it." She switches her flashlight on and walks off. Hugh watches her go, then asks himself, "Why do I get the feeling I'll regret it?"

In the forest, Mary walks down a used trail that heads to the large fishing lake. To anyone, the woods would've send fear to the heart, with the outstretched branches shadowed as hands, the nerve-racking animal noises going off everywhere, but Mary just laughs at it. "I wonder why people think these woods are scary. And I do not see how it is haunted. I've been here for a week and I haven't seen any ghosts or anything else scary. They must be trying to scare me because I'm five."

Soon, she finds the crystallize lake and starts searching around for the leaf. About an hour passes and the moon reaches higher, floating straight up, until the twin finds the leaf. "I finally found it! Now to head back to the camp." She starts to walk away, when her eyes spot something by the lake. A closer look helps Mary find out that the creature is a wolf, drinking his fill from the lake. She squeals in delight and says, "So cool. An actual wolf in front of my eyes. Dad will like to see this." She takes a camera out of her pocket and slowly walks closer, then snaps. White light shines around for a second, but long enough for the wolf to take notice of it. It raises its dripping muzzle up and turns toward the girl, growling and baring its fangs. She lowers her camera and whispers, "Maybe I should have shut off the flash. Heh heh. Nice wolf."

It steps toward the girl and Mary brings to mind all the things to do if you run into a wolf. Before she moves, the wolf stops then pushes up, standing on its hind legs like a human. The child widens her eyes in shock, squeaking, "You're not a regular wolf."

In response, it howls into the night air, toward the bright moon, and Mary runs back into the woods, screaming "Big wolf! Daddy!" She continues running in a direction, mind set on losing the large wolf at all costs. The child hears branches snapping and shuffling, and turns to see the wolf chasing her. "Leave me alone!" Mary continues to run, when she trips and falls down a hill, bruises appearing all over her body and dirtying her clothes. When she stops at the bottom, the child slowly gets up, crying her eyes out. "Ooowwwww! Daddy, where are you?"

The wolf lands in front of her and snarls, making Mary scream. She searches for anything to fight back, and finds a gun. "The flare gun." She points up and pulls, sending a flare into the sky. At a certain point, the blaze explodes, sending more light everywhere, and the wolf covers its eyes a back up with a whimper. The child was sure it would run away, but the large dog rubs its eyes and growls, walking closer. "No. Stay back!" Mary gets up and runs away again, but this time the wolf catches up and pounces. The last thing she remembers is intense pain, screaming, and a gunshot…

* * *

Mary Test shoots off her pillow in cold sweat, gasping. Panicked, she quickly scans her surroundings and slightly calms down, knowing she's safe in her room. Next to the teen is her fifteen year old twin sister, Susan, who's calmly sleeping. The teen wipes some hair out of her eyes then, after grabbing her crescent glasses, gets up and walks to the bathroom. She splashes some water onto her face and wipes some of the cold sweat off, then looks back into the mirror. A Mary Test looks back, same but different at the same time.

After staring at her for some time, she moves her sleeve up, showing her shoulder and a bite mark scar that stands. _The bite mark that changed my life forever. Why'd it have to be me?_ She puts the sleeve back down and walks back to her room, falling on her bed. Mary has a hard time falling back to sleep, and by the time she does, the sun is already up and shining. Susan yawns awake and looks at her sister, unsurprised that she's still sleeping. The twin walks up and shakes her shoulder, saying, "Mary, wake up. We have to go to school."

The teen groans and turns around. Susan sighs and shakes her more vigorously, but Mary still sleeps. "C'mon Mary. Enough playing games. We're going to be late."

She continues to snore. The twin groans then opens a drawer, taking out a handheld horn. Susan covers one ear and presses the button, letting out a blaring sound and making Mary scream and cover her ears, as well as fall off her bed. The teen puts the horn back and says, "If you don't want to have a horn blasting in your ear, then I suggest you stop staying up so late."

Mary climbs back up and talks back, "I have very good reasons to stay up late, Susan."

"And what would that be?"

"That's none of your business. Now c'mon. We need to get ready for school."


	2. Kept Secret

**Chapter 2: Kept Secret **

At the Porkbelly Institute of Technology, Mary opens her locker and takes out her books, completely distracted. _Ten whole years, and not even close to finding a cure. There's got to be something I'm missing in my formula, but what?_

"Hey, Mary."

She closes her locker and turns to a classmate, Tim Burnout. "I was wonderin' if you could help me with a problem I'm havin'."

"I'm sorry Tim, but I'm really busy." The teen starts to walk off, but Tim quickly follows. "But this is, like, really important. This project could really help everyone."

"I said I'm busy." She repeats, annoyance starting to boil.

"But-"

"I'm busy, Tim!" Mary yells, and the student jumps back in shock. The teen shakes her head, calming down, and mutters, "I'm busy, okay?" She walks away, leaving a shocked Tim behind. After clearing his head, he says, "I can see why. You really need to fix your changing eyes." and walks away.

Mary quickly heads toward her class, breathing slightly hard. _Oh man, I really messed up. Is he suspicious? Will he figure out about my problem? Will he even care, actually? _At this, she calms down a little.

Soon, she enters the class and sits next to her sister, waiting for the school day to end. Susan asks, "Hey Mary, something wrong?"

"No, nothing Susan."

The teacher, Professor Slopsink, walks in and starts the class with the usual, "Good afternoon, future scientists. I hope those who were assigned a task have it with them today, because today they are due. Now, first up is Timothy Burnout."

The greasy-haired man walks down and sets down a blockish machine with two glass cases on each side. "The Curetron 2.0 here I made will be able to cure any sickness in this world, as far as I know."

Mary raises her head after Tim's introduction, not really believing her ears. She gets focused on Tim's project for the first time since she started the school, excitement growing inside.

"All I have to do is put a blood sample into this case," he points to a glass box with a hole in it. "And the computer will analyze and separate the syndrome from the blood, and form the opposite condition of the illness. When all that's done, the cure mixes in with punch, or any other juice you want to put in, and pours into this cup." Tim points to a glass cup attached on the other end of the machine. A small smile grows on Mary's face, and really wishes for school to be over now.

The professor says, "Hmm, very good. Did you test it, Tim?"

"Of course. I tried it on my sick mom and she feels as healthy as a fish."

"Well, I have to say, this will sure help all of humanity. A." He places a badge with a big A on it on the machine. "Next."

The class continues on through the day, but Mary is too distracted in her own thoughts to pay attention. _If that machine can cures sicknesses, then can it help me out with my problem?_

With the TV blaring, Tim snores on the couch, soda cans and chip bags littering the whole floor, along with dirty laundry. Suddenly, a bell sounds through the TV, and Tim snaps awake. "Huh, who could that be?"

He gets up and stretches his back, hearing the wonderful crack, then walks to the door. After tossing a shirt away, the man opens the door and sees Mary on the padio. "Mary? What are you doing here?"

"Hey Tim. May I come in?"

"Uh, sure." He moves out of the way and Mary walks in, examining the classmate's mess of a home. "You have a nice…home."

"Well, if I'd known you were coming, I would've tidied up."

"Yeah right. We both know you're a big snob." she says, screwing her face as she tosses a pair of underwear.

"True." Tim sits down and asks, "So why are you here?"

Still walking around, Mary answers, "I was wondering if you still have your Curetron 2.0."

"Why? Is there someone sick you know?"

Looking at a fish tank, she says, "You could say that."

Tim grabs a pizza. "I'm sorry, but I already sold it. By now it should be halfway to India."

"WHAT!" she screams, grabbing the man's collar. He looks at the teen in surprise, and Mary quickly lets go, realizing what she just did. "I mean, really?"

"Uh, yeah. And judging by your reaction, it must be bad."

"Kinda."

"Well, sorry. I feel bad for that person. Is there anything else I can help with?"

"No, but thanks for your offer. I'll see you tomorrow." Mary walks out and closes the door, feeling even more in her gloom. _I was so close to getting rid of my illness. Why does fate torture me like this?_

As she walks back to the Test's house, a rabbit hops into her view, and she smiles at the cuteness. But her stomach starts growling, and instead of seeing a cute animal with big eyes, Mary sees her next meal. Fangs grow inside her mouth, her eyes morph into something menacing and eager, and she growls hungrily in her throat. The teen was about attack, but quickly stops herself from doing anything rash. "No. I am a human teen. I am not a ferocious beast."

Mary continues walking, ignoring the roaring stomach and trying to change her face back. Her eyes morph back, but the fangs continue to show, along with the rumbling stomach. She repeats _I'm not a beast_ in her head, but keeps getting distracted by her hunger. _I need to get home, fast. I'm starving._ The teen speeds up her walk, and as her stomach rumble more, Mary runs faster toward her home. She ignores the park and all the balls flying around and walks in, automatically heading into the kitchen and checks the fridge for anything edible. The teen takes out a plate with a half-eaten meat. "Dad's meatloaf? Well, if that's all there is."

After taking off the plastic, Mary sits down at the table and eats the whole half-loaf after checking she's alone. Soon, the teen places the plate in the sink and checks her mouth, feeling no fangs. She sighs in relief and walks upstairs to her lab. Inside, Johnny is arguing his sister, Susan, and Dukey, their brown furred, multi-breed dog, just watching. Mary chuckles at the sight and grabs her lab coat before walking toward them, then asks, "Okay, what's the trouble now?"

Johnny is her twelve year old brother with light blue eyes, blonde hair that turns to fire color, and peach skin. He wears a black shirt with a radioactive symbol on it, blue jacket and camo-green jeans, and also has a watch on his wrist. "The problem, Mary, is that Susan here is making fun of me!"

"About what?"

"She thinks I have a crush on Sissy!"

"Think? I know, Johnny." Susan says, smiling.

"I do not have a crush!"

"_I do not have a crush._" The twin mocks. "You so do."

Mary stops them, "Okay Susan. That's enough teasing. What's the project we're doing now?"

"Johnny insists on having back his morph power so he can make the best Halloween costume ever."

"This early of the month?" she asks. "It's only June fifth."

"Mary, it's never too late to figure out a costume." Johnny remarks, searching the lab for the controls.

She shakes her head and wonders how Johnny's head works out. The teen starts to tune out, but Susan snaps her back to reality. "So Mary, speaking of Halloween, are you actually going to go trick-or-treating or just stay home _again_?"

"You know my answer." is all Mary says.

Johnny groans. "C'mon Mary. Ever since I can remember, you've never been on one Halloween trip. Why do you hate to go trick-or-treating on Halloween, anyway?"

"I don't hate Halloween. I just had a bad experience on that day, and I don't want to repeat something like that."

"And what exactly happened on Halloween?" asks Johnny.

Mary sits down and answers, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Aww, why not?"

"Because I don't want to talk about it."

"But-"

Susan grabs his shoulder and interrupts, "Give it up, Johnny. She wants her secrets kept like everyone else does."

"Yeah, but whatever happened to family honesty? Didn't you say family is all about honesty? And, last I checked, secrets tear apart families."

Another rage starts growing again, so Mary mutters, "I need some air," and walks out, hanging her lab coat. She heads downstairs when her father sticks his head out of the kitchen, wearing a pink apron. He says, "There you are, Mary. You're just in time for dinner. I'm made a meatloaf!"

"No thanks dad. I'm not feeling that hungry." The teen walks out of the house and Hugh scratches his head in befuddlement. _I wonder what is wrong with her. She seems to avoid us ever since the camping trip ten years ago._ "Maybe I should take her to a therapist. Oh, but the cost of one."

With the sky darkening quickly, Mary walks around her neighborhood with her hands in her pockets. Immediately, her temper diminishes to a dot and she looks up to the sky. The teen spots the waning white moon slowly floating across the ink blue sky, shining great light all over Porkbelly. Her body starts seizing up when the light touches her skin and Mary's mind instantly start fighting back, but the teen quickly shuts off the restraint and lets the small transform take form. The fangs grow back and her eyes morph, and inside the pockets and shoes, claws extend. She sighs after the transformation, then sits on a bench in the park, which she somehow walked into. _Is there such thing as a cure for this kind of sickness?_

Her mind slowly strays to her past and back to her camping incident and the attack when she was younger. Mary loses all time in her little land, until her phone rings in her pocket and shocking Mary. She grabs the cell phone and asks, "Hello?"

"Mary, where are you? Everyone is worried." calls Susan.

"I'm sorry, but I just needed some air. How long was I gone?"

"Did you phase out again?"

"Ummm," she doesn't answer, but the twin can already guess. "You have got to stop that, Mary. Sooner or later, that'll get you in trouble."

_Don't remind me, _she thinks, her mind seeing a future if she did.

"Anyway, you were gone for about three hours. You need to get home before dad starts bouncing off the walls."

Sighing, she says, "Alright. I'm on my way." The teen hangs up her phone then gets up and starts walking back, hiding her hands again. She soon reaches her house and walks onto the moonless porch, her eyes and teeth morphing back as well as her claws. The girl walks in and is greeted by a worried father, and after escaping him, heads upstairs to her lab where Susan is waiting. "You okay Mary?"

"I'm fine. It's not my first time being outside at night, anyway. I know how to handle out there in the world."

"Okay. If you say so. Now let's get back to this project."

Mary grabs her lab coat and, for the next hour and a half, the twins build and fix a new gun-like machine. After putting the last wire in, Susan aims it at the test dummy and fires, shooting a purple ray out in waves. When it hits on target, the dummy glows white for a while, then vanishes. Nothing happens, but soon the dummy inflates and detonate, sending hot air and dummy pieces everywhere. The twins duck underneath a control panel, and the large computer on the wall comments, "It's a good thing you didn't try that on Johnny."

"You have that right, Com. Note that the Human Water-Morpher makes people explode." Susan orders, putting the gun in a glass case.

"Done."

"Thanks." She covers her mouth as a yawn surfaces, and says, "We should really go to bed now, Mary."

"You can go ahead." The teen offers. "I still need to work on something."

"You sure? Every time you stay up and work on whatever you're working on, you almost make us late for school. _Every single time._"

She smiles encouragingly and says, "Don't worry. We've never been late to school, have we?"

Susan shakes her head in skepticism. "Fine. Just don't stay up too long." When she leaves the lab to her room, Mary loses the warm smile, returning to her usual secret gloom. Com, behind her, asks, "Should I play your song?"

"Sure. Just keep it down." she answers sullenly.

The computer searches across the MP3 and starts playing, "Animal I Have Become" by Three Days Grace. The teen sits down and unlocks a secret file, opening her syndrome section. "Mary Test, if you don't have a normal, happy life soon, you'll become a lonely emo girl. No offense."

"None taken, Com. And you're right. But I can't have a normal life without everyone realizing that I'm a…a…"

"A monster inside?" it finishes.

"Yes." Her head falls into her hands. "But sooner or later I'm gonna break, like I did before."

"Just calm down, Mary Test. Feeling bad doesn't help anyone."

The twin huffs, then says, "You're right. The faster I can find the cure, the better everyone can be." She continues on finding a cure on the computer, trying different solutions for the solution. The problem is all the tests end up in either nothing or death. Mary gets frustrated and asks herself, "I must be missing an ingredient. But what? What!"

A bookcase rises from the floor next to Mary, and she grabs one book and searches through the content. The teen searches through more books, getting even more frustrated from the lack of ingredients. Com, sensing the danger, suggests, "You should get to bed now, Mary Test. It is already ten."

"Hold on. I've got a good feeling. I feel close to my answer."

"You always say that. But it is important to get your sleep and you also have school tomorrow."

"Alright. Goodnight Com." The redhead shuts the computer off and heads out of the lab, turning off everything for the night. After hanging her lab coat, she locks her double steel door and strolls into her bedroom, then changes to a dark yellow shirt and black shorts, and puts her star band on her table, letting her hair fall. The teen looks at herself in the mirror, seeing a closer resemblance to her sister. Mary concentrates and her eyes and fangs return, and she looks at herself again, seeing a monster instead. "I'm a freak. And that's all I'll ever be to everyone."

She climbs onto her bed, placing her glasses on the desk, then lies on the soft pillow and falls to a restless, long night.


	3. What a Surprise

**Chapter 3: What a Surprise**

Johnny and Dukey walks into the park, whip cream cans, pies, honey, Frisbees, baseballs, bats, and other objects piled in their hands. "This is gonna be fun." the firehead snickers.

His buddy asks, "Just out of curiosity, what are we going to do with all these? Play food baseball?"

"No. I am going to make the biggest prank ever witnessed in the history of pranks! Something that will make all other prankers cry with humiliation. If you don't want to watch, then you can go back home." he answers, dropping the stuff on the grass.

"Are you kidding? Of course I want to see it! I also want to see how Sissy thinks of your prank."

"Yeah. I want to see her face when she gets a face full of pie." As Johnny starts building the prank, Dukey corrects his sentence, "I meant that you'll probably impress her, not prank her, Johnny."

"Why would I impress her?"

"Because you to love each other." the dog finishes.

"I DO NOT LOVE HER!" he screams.

Behind them, someone says, "Hey Johnny. What'cha doing today?"

Both turn around and see Sissy Blakely walking toward them. The girl has blue eyes, light blonde hair with a strange red bolt shape, and wears peach lipstick, ear piercings, and bracelets. She wears a black shirt and a black choker, a checkered headband and skirt with blue jeans underneath, and two white belts wrapped loosely around her waist.

Johnny groans at the sight and asks, "What are you doing here? And where's your dog?"

"One, I gave Missy away to a child who really needs a friend. Two, I'm bored. So I was wondering if I can help with whatever you're doing." she says, picking up a baseball.

The firehead taps his chin and asks, "Hmm, how should I say this without hurting your feelings? NO!"

Sissy leans back from the yell. Johnny continues, "And no amount of fake crying will change my mind."

After staying quiet for a while, the girl finally says, "To tell you the truth, Johnny, ever since I've met you, I've been wanting to hang out with you and Dukey. You always seem to know what to do and have to greatest amount of fun where ever you go. And you have a talking dog, for crying out loud!"

Both Johnny's and Dukey's jaw drop from shock. After passing the stun, the firehead asks, "How long did you know?"

"Aww, c'mon. It's not that hard to figure out. I'm surprised nobody else found out. So can I _please_ hang out with you?" she begs. "_Please_?"

"Uhh…" Johnny mutters, head full of surprise, but the dog interrupts, "Excuse us, Sissy." and pulls him away. He shakes his buddy back awake and whispers, "Johnny, just let her hang out. She probably misses having company, or even better, friends."

"Wait, hold up. Are you saying that she has no friends?"

Dukey rolls his eyes at his friend's lack of observation. "Of course. She always hung with her dog, Missy, and now she has no one. I mean, Sissy says she's bored, but I think she meant that I want to hang out with you because I'm lonely."

"So what are you saying?" Johnny asks, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh my-," the pet palms himself. "Just let her hang out."

"But-! Oh, alright." The firehead and dog walks back to Sissy, who is sitting sadly on a bench. He sighs and asks, "So Sissy, do you want to…help me create the world's greatest prank ever?"

"Would I!" she screams, quickly spinning around and grinning broadly. Caught off guard, Johnny quickly bends backwards as the girl lean forward. "Okay, a little too close, Sissy."

"Oh, sorry." Sissy moves back, giggling sheepishly. "So what's the prank?"

The firehead tells his _new friend_ all about the prank and soon the preparations are being made in the large green park. As the two works on putting up a bucket of shaving cream up, Sissy slowly asks, "So Johnny, how's your sister?"

"Which one? Because both are well."

"Well, the one with the curls. Margi, was it?"

"Mary. And she's fine, like I said before."

After putting a cup of golf balls in its position, the girl complains, "Are you sure? Because I've been seeing weird things about her."

"Then it's probably an experiment gone wrong. That always happened to me."

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent sure. But what is wrong with Mary, just out of curiosity?"

After helping Johnny carry a wheelbarrow up a hill, Sissy answers, "Well, she always looks gloomy when she's alone. I heard her growl at some people and dogs, and I mean a deep-in-the-throat growl like you get from dogs. And I saw her chase some squirrels. _On all four_."

"Okay, I admit, that is weird. But my sisters were probably experimenting on dogs or something like that. Sooner or later, they'll bring her back."

"Okay, but aren't you the least bit curious about her condition?"

"I'm always curious about those things. But the last time I tried to get into their business, it didn't go so well."

"What happened?"

Dukey appears behind her and answers, "He spent a day as a girl."

"That day was like a nightmare came alive and STOP LAUGHING!"

Sissy tries to hide her laughter behind her hand, but fails as it burst out. Dukey wasn't helping as he explains the situation, "You should have seen him that day. He wore a skirt and a pink butterfly hairpin and everything. Almost all the guys were hitting on him at school."

While the girl falls down and the grass laughing her butt off, the firehead grabs a large pot and metal spoon, then dunks the pot on his best friends head, bangs it a couple times to make a large DONG' from inside. He takes off the pot-hat and Dukey keeps on shaking violently, and Johnny turns to a stunned Sissy. "If you don't want that happened to you, then I suggest you stop your laughing."

"Got it." She quickly says. In her mind, she talks, _Looks like that day really messed you up._

The dog raises his convulsing arms and grabs his head, making his body slowly stop quivering. "Whoooaaa. Anything I missed?"

Just before they get back to their prank, something in the firehead's pocket starts singing, and he takes it out to reveal a blaring phone. The blonde asks, "What kind of ringtone is that?"

"It's a theme song I came up with for me. It's nice, right?" he asks, smiling.

"Uh, I don't know about nice. Hey wait, when did you get a phone?"

He flips open his cell phone and answers his dad for a while, then puts it back in his pocket. "It just had to be now. We were busy on a prank."

Dukey asks, "What is it?"

"Dad wants us to head back home because he has a surprise for us. We were about to finally unleash this big prank."

Sissy says, "I can finish it if you have to leave."

Someone screams behind the two, and they turn to see the neighbor bully, Bumper, sliding down on the goo-covered grass. The three continue watching as he flies off a springboard, slides across the golf balls, then crashes into the wheelbarrow. The block on the wheel gets knocked off and the Bumper-filled barrow rides down and across the wooden pier, then the wheelbarrow comes to a halt by a glued block. The motion sends Bumper flipping in the air and crashes into the lake, sending a super big splash into the air.

In the park, Dukey, Sissy, and Johnny just stare at the lake where the bully vanished when a beeping comes from above the firehead. He looks up and reaches inside a tree to find a video camera flashing. The boy looks at the screen to see Bumper redoing the prank all the way to the lake. "I forgot I put the video camera here. Hey Sissy, could you put this on Youtube while me and Dukey head back home?"

"Sure."

Johnny tosses the camera to his new friend and after saying "Bye Sissy.", he and his dog runs out of the park and across the town into the many houses. They slow down when the two arrive at their house, catching their breath from the long journey, and Johnny pants, "Why didn't I bring my skateboard?"

"Don't ask me. It's your board."

When their breathing returns to normal, Dukey falls to all four and the firehead opens the door, then both walks in. They head into the living room where Susan, Mary, and their father wait on the couch. "There you are Johnny." Hugh says. He gets up and lets the firehead sit on the empty seat next to Mary. "Is this going to take long dad? I wanna go back outside."

"Don't worry. You will because tomorrow we're all going camping!"

"What?" all three say.

"Isn't that exciting?"

Mary says, "Wow, that's quite a surprise. But, dad, didn't you vow we won't go on another camping trip ever again after the…accident?"

"Accident? What accident? What aren't you telling me?" the firehead tries to pry out.

Hugh continues, "I know what I said, but all of you have changed big time…"

_You have no idea, _the redhead thinks.

"…and I'm sure you all can take care of yourself. Times have changed everywhere so I'm sure nothing will go horrible wrong."

"Are you sure?" Susan asks.

"Positive. Now get packing. We leave at eight sharp." He heads back into the kitchen as Johnny jumps off the couch and asks, "Okay, what accident is dad talking about that made him vow to not take another camping trip because I want to know so please tell me!"

Mary turns her head away, remembering the day like it was yesterday, and Susan says, "Uh, you see Johnny, the last time we went camping, about ten years ago, Mary here got into a little…incident with a creature. If she didn't fire that flare gun, and if dad didn't fly like the wind when her family is in trouble, she wouldn't be here right now."

The teen gets up and walks up to the window while hugging herself, the incident flashing back for the millionth time. Johnny watches her for a while, and a feeling that he has never felt before rises up. He feels sad for his sister, and he never feels sad for anybody. He walks up to the redhead as she mutters, "There isn't a day that past when I haven't remembered the attack. No matter what, that incident is scarred into my mind forever. It doesn't help when I look in the mirror and see my physical scar."

"Physical scar?" Johnny repeats.

She nods and lifts up her shirt sleeve, exposing the bite on her shoulder. The firehead widens his eyes at the scar, whispering, "Yikes." Dukey leans in while rubbing his chin, and says, "Yep. That's one big scar. And that has lasted for ten years?"

"Mm-hmm." She murmurs while nodding.

"I'm surprised the monster didn't rip it off. I mean, look at the size of that thing!"

"Dukey," Johnny interrupts. "You are not helping."

"Oh. Sorry Mary." The dog apologizes, walking back.

She moves the sleeve back, continuing staring out the window at nothing. The firehead asks, "What did dad do to the monster?"

"He shot it with a shotgun he had."

"Well there you go. You don't have to worry about the monster, Mary. It is as dead as a doorknob, so what are you worrying about?"

"Nothing, it's just the forest really makes me feel like something will jump out and rip me to pieces."

"You're just being paranoid, thinking the worst-case scenario." He says with a smile. The firehead then starts pushing her to the stairs, adding, "Now go pack up. This will be the greatest camping trip you will ever experience."

"If you say so." She heads upstairs to her room while the twin asks, "You sure this will be the greatest campout for her?"

"I have no idea, but Sissy said that Mary always looks gloomy when no one is around, so I'm hoping that the trip will cheer her secret side up. Now come on. _We _still need to pack."

* * *

With the clock nearing eight, the twin sisters and Johnny wait by the car, bags completely packed for a week in the forest. Johnny takes a glance at her sister, who's a little fidgety on the spot. Dukey, who is sitting by him, asks, "Will she be alright?"

"Hopefully."

Hugh walks out, wearing a fishing hat and fishing vest, and starts packing the bags into the car. Meanwhile, Lila hugs her children and says, "I hope you all have a great time at the forest."

Johnny says, "Of course we'll have a great time. I'll be there, as well as Dukey."

She chuckles just as Hugh says, "Alright, everyone get in. It's time to head out!"

Johnny, Dukey, and Susan hop in the car eagerly, but Mary hesitates. Her mother whispers, "Is something wrong dear?"

"Something just doesn't feel right, mom. What if I accidently…"

"Don't worry. I have faith in you. And I packed your medicine, so you don't have to worry about anything else."

Mary smiles and enters the car. The mother gives Hugh a kiss and says, "Have fun honey and try to keep them safe. And pay close attention to Mary."

"Don't worry. I still remember. And I promise that no harm will come to Mary. That is, beast related."

"Okay. Have fun kids!"

Johnny, on the shotgun seat, says, "We will mom!"

Hugh sits on the driver seat and starts the car up. He waves again at Lila then drives down the Porkbelly road and Mary feels on edge while through the whole trip.

* * *

After about four hours of traveling, Hugh parks nearby a clearing, and he declares, "Here we are! Now let's unpack and get dinner started!"

"At least now we don't have to eat meatloaf." Johnny murmurs. He turns to his dad, and finds him giving the firehead an annoyed look. "Did I say that out loud?"

Everyone exits the Station Wagon and starts unpacking, but Susan spots Mary still in the car, eyeing the forest. The twin taps on the window and asks, "Aren't you coming out?"

"Uh, I think I'll just sleep in the car."

Susan rolls her eyes and opens the door, and Mary shrieks as her sister pulls her out. "C'mon. Trust me; there is nothing out there that will hurt you."

"How did you-"

"Now help me make dinner while dad and Johnny pitch up the tents." She grabs a cooler from the trunk and walk to the clearing, and Mary asks herself, "But how did you open the locked door?" before carrying two coolers.

Soon, everything is out of the car everyone works on their job. The girls cook the dinner, Johnny teaches his father how to pitch the tents, and Dukey collects firewood for the fire. When the sun is halfway buried by mountain, the tents are pitched, the fire is lit, and the food is deliciously devoured. At nightfall, everyone, even Dukey, is roasting marshmallows for s'mores, and Hugh suggests, "Why don't we tell scary stories to pass the time?"

"Let's not and say we did." Mary says, letting her marshmallow light on fire. She quickly waves the flame away, leaving only a charred lump.

Johnny elbows her side, saying, "C'mon. Don't be such a scaredy-cat. I think a scary story is a great idea."

"Please don't call me cat." the redhead whispers.

"I already have a great one."

Susan says, "Okay, shoot."

The firehead smirks evilly as he grabs a flashlight, lighting at the bottom of his face and creating a menacing look that scares Mary. "It all starts bloodthirsty vampire."

"Does it have to?" the redhead asks.

"Legend tells of a vampire that has roamed these lands for hundreds of years, looking for victims to fill his never-ending hunger. One day, he found an unlucky family camping in the woods much like this one." The fire chooses now to splutter and dim down, sending even more looming shadows.

"The fanged beast lurks down forest to the small family, until he's at the edge of the light. He waits and waits in the darkness, his body seemingly blending into the surrounding until he's practically invisible. Soon, the family puts out the fire, and that's when the vampire makes his move. As fast as lightning, he snatches the two adults in the blink of an eye. The children scream in fear as a chill runs down their spines, but is soon silenced as the vampires take them too, never to be seen again."

By now Mary is quaking on her seat, and whispering, "Please make it end. Please make it end. Please make it end."

"Even now, he still roams the woods, looking for new victims to feast on. Wait, did you hear something?"

Mary starts looking around frantically at the forest, and Johnny walks up to a patch of greenery with the flashlight. He searches inside the large bush, and just suddenly the boy vanishes, spooking the redhead over the edge. "J-J-Johnny?"

Hugh asks, "You don't think his story could be real, could it?"

"I-I'm sure there's a logical explanation for all this, right?" Susan tries to reason. But she falters when she hears a rustle. Everyone quickly turns to the noise, and something with fangs jumps out. Everyone screams at his appearance and Mary jumps up and pins the mysterious figure on a tree before anyone could blink. Hugh, Susan, and Dukey all gape at the snarling twin's reaction, even more surprised when the person spoke. "M-Mary, you can let go now."

Her angered face turns to a look of surprise when she recognizes the voice. "Johnny?" She puts him down and takes off the fanged mask to reveal a firehead smiling sheepishly. "Surprise?"

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I had this idea in my head for a while but I couldn't find an opportunity to use it. Pretty cool, right?"

Susan gets up and walks to them, saying, "I have to admit, that was well-planned, little brother. Maybe you do have some brains like ours."

"Thank you." he says, taking a bow. "What'd you think, Mary?" He falters when he spots his sister's angered look. "I'll be in my tent." She says before walking into the darkness.

"What's her deal?"

Susan answers, "I've been asking myself the same question."

Hugh says, "Maybe she just didn't like your prank Johnny."

"I don't think so. Susan and Mary always like or hate the same thing that I do."

"Well, let's just all get to bed. It's getting pretty late."

Everyone heads to their appointed tents and inside Johnny's tent, Johnny asks, "Did she have to attack me like that?"

"Well, you have to admit, you had it coming when you scared her." Dukey answers.

"But she didn't have to jump at me like that!"

"Of course, now that I think of it, her actions didn't seem all that…normal."

The firehead raises an eyebrow and asks, "What do you mean?"

The dog sips from his mug and says, "I mean the way she pounced on you isn't all that human. The form, the attack, the snarl. They seem closely related to an animal, more precise, a dog."

"And like I told Sissy, she was probably in a failed experiment that hasn't quite worn out yet. So let's go to sleep, dog."

"Oh, alright."

Inside the twin's tent, Mary takes a sip of her medicine just as Susan walks in. "Okay, what was all that about?"

"What was all what about?"

"You pouncing on Johnny. I know he scared you, but that didn't mean you have to go all animal on him."

Mary sighs and says, "I know. I didn't really mean to anyway. It was, I don't know, instinct?"

"Mary, you're really scaring me. Ever since the campout ten years ago, you've been staying up late, you've had mood changes, sleeping in. That's not like you. Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Susan. I'm just being me. Now let's just go to sleep." She snuggles into her sleeping bag and falls to sleep, but Susan stays up, worrying about her sister. _There's something going on with Mary, and I plan on finding out. _She gets out of her sleeping bag and sneaks to Mary's bag. As quiet as the night, the redhead zips it open and takes out a book with a big beast on the front. _That's funny. When has she been interested in wolves? _Susan puts it back and takes out a thermos, which she opens to find a weird liquid in it. The teen takes a sniff and gags. _Oh man, this stuff is awful! Why would she drink this? _She places the lid back on and puts it back in the pack, then takes out Mary's laptop. After opening it, the screen flashes on, asking for a password. With a small smile, Susan types one of the Gil passwords they use for the lab, but the computer says it's incorrect. "What?" she whispers. The teen continues on many different Gil passwords, but all turn out to be wrong. _What the!? Why wouldn't she use a Gil password that I don't know? What is she hiding from me?_

Susan turns to the sleeping twin. "What secrets are you hidings?" She puts the laptop back in Mary's pack and sneaks back to her sleeping bag, taking a long deserved nap.


End file.
